Privacy notice

What’s in this Privacy Notice


Background

UHN Foundation (“the Foundation”, “we”, “us”, “our”) is an entity existing as a result of an amalgamation between Toronto General & Western Hospital Foundation and Toronto Rehab Foundation, which took place on April 1, 2021.

The Foundation raises funds for research, education, and the enhancement of patient care at UHN. Together with our donors, we’re helping UHN pursue new knowledge to build a healthier world. Fundraising is considered a commercial purpose under Canadian information protection laws, and as such, we commit to upholding our obligations to the required measures enacted through these laws. We acknowledge that we handle personal information in accordance with the authority these laws grant to us.

The Foundation is committed to protecting the personal information of our constituents, donors, stakeholders and other supporters. The Foundation has taken the necessary actions to ensure that information in any format (paper or electronic) is protected so that the relationship of trust between our supporters and the Foundation is upheld.

The Foundation’s Privacy Notice explains the collection, use, disclosure, security and retention of personal information. The Foundation’s Privacy Notice is subject to review and approval by the Foundation’s Audit Committee.

BY SUBMITTING PERSONAL INFORMATION TO THE FOUNDATION, YOU AGREE THAT THE FOUNDATION MAY COLLECT, USE AND DISCLOSE SUCH PERSONAL INFORMATION IN ACCORDANCE WITH THIS PRIVACY NOTICE AND AS PERMITTED OR REQUIRED BY LAW.


Personal Information We Collect

Personal information means information about an identifiable individual. The Foundation collects personal information from you when you browse our website, make a donation, subscribe to our e-newsletter, participate in one of our fundraising events, or when you interact with us through our website, online community or our offices.

The personal information the Foundation may collect includes, but is not limited to, full name, address including postal code, telephone number(s), email address(es), and website browsing behaviour.

If you dedicate a donation in someone’s honour, the Foundation will collect that person’s name and any other information you provide about them.

The Foundation’s website contains online forms that allow visitors to make a donation. The credit card information you provide on these forms is used only to process your donations. Online donations to the Foundation are processed through a third-party merchant that maintain their own rigorous security and privacy standards. The Privacy Policy of this third party can be viewed at www.blackbaud.ca/company/privacy-policy/canada. The Foundation does not receive your credit card information.

If you register with UHN, your name and mailing address are produced on a list that UHN forwards us, or the personal information of your substitute decision maker, in the case of dependents and minors.

The Foundation does not collect personal health information, or any other details about your state of health or any health services you received at UHN.


Purposes for the Collection of Personal Information 

When the Foundation collects personal information directly from its supporters, it will identify the purposes for which personal information is collected at or before the time of collection. These purposes include, but are not limited to:

  • processing a donation
  • creating a fundraising page
  • recruiting donors
  • organizing and delivering fundraising events
  • sending fundraising appeals, newsletters and e-newsletters that you have agreed to receive
  • administering a donor’s interests or responding to a donor’s inquiries
  • as required or permitted by law

Personal information will not be used or disclosed for purposes other than those for which it was collected, except with your consent or as required by law. The Foundation does not trade, rent or sell any of your personal information to third parties.


Cookies and Similar Technologies

Our website uses Google Analytics to help analyze how users use the site. The tool uses “cookies” which are text files placed on your computer, to collect standard Internet log information and visitor behavior information in an anonymous form. The information generated by the cookie about your use of the website (including IP address) is transmitted to Google. This information is then used to evaluate visitors’ use of the website and to compile statistical reports on website activity for the Foundation.

If you wish, you may opt out of being tracked by Google Analytics by disabling or refusing the cookies, by disabling JavaScript within your browser or by using the Google Analytics Opt-Out Browser Add-On. Disabling Google Analytics or JavaScript will still permit you to access comparable information or services from our website. Link: https://tools.google.com/dlpage/gaoptout?hl=en


AI Systems, Machine Learning and Similar Technologies

The Foundation is committed to ensuring that any software system that it uses for analytics, decision output, or any other purpose that enhances our services will receive evaluation and risk assessment aligned with current regulatory standard requirements. This legitimate purpose will align with purposes we’ve already described above. If it is used for any new purpose outside of the scope already described, we will notify you in a timely fashion and obtain your consent in accordance with the law.

Practices regarding the use of AI systems remain accountable to the privacy & security of the personal information we hold about individuals. You maintain the fundamental right to access and correct inaccuracies of your personal information and to be informed of the decisions that are made based on the use of your personal information, upon request. The Foundation commits to ensuring clear interpretation of its outputs and non-bias in the information we input. If any harm is identified, it will be investigated in accordance with our policies & procedures and swiftly remediated, as necessary.


Data Retention

The Foundation will retain personal information only as long as necessary to fulfill the purpose for which it was collected. Your personal information will be de-identified, aggregated and/or securely deleted once it is no longer needed.


Safeguards

Personal information is protected with security safeguards appropriate to the sensitivity of the information. All Foundation staff and affiliates must sign a Confidentiality Agreement on an annual basis. In addition, all independent contractors or service providers that have a working relationship with us that requires access to Foundation data must sign a Confidentiality Agreement as part of their engagement with the Foundation.

The Foundation endeavors to maintain appropriate physical, administrative, and technical security safeguards with respect to our offices and information storage capabilities to prevent any loss, misuse, unauthorized access, disclosure, or modification of personal information. This also applies to the disposal or destruction of personal information when it is no longer needed to achieve the purposes described herein. These controls extend to any service providers we contract with to help us fulfill our purposes.

The Foundation also leverages the digital security safeguards in place at University Health Network, including significant monitoring and detection tools with respect to cyber security, to protect all data collected and retained by the Foundation.

Despite our best efforts, no security measure is impenetrable. We cannot guarantee the security of any information you transmit to us. You do so at your own risk.

If you have any concerns, please contact the Foundation’s Privacy Officer, Amy Wilkinson, at [email protected].


International Transfers

The Foundation may transfer your personal information outside the jurisdiction in which you reside in order to process or store that information. When your personal information is transferred internationally, it is subject to foreign laws that may be less privacy protecting than the laws applicable in your jurisdiction. An assessment of these laws is conducted and risks inherent to the transfer are identified. These risks may be accepted or steps may be taken to mitigate these risks.

The Foundation may use contractual arrangements that seek to impose rigorous privacy and data security practices to close any gaps in the law, wherever possible. By providing us your personal information, you understand and agree to these international transfers.


Access to and Accuracy of Personal Information 

The Foundation ensures personal information is accurate, complete and as up-to-date as necessary for the purposes for which it is to be used. You can challenge the accuracy and completeness of the information and have it amended as appropriate.

Upon request, you will be informed of the existence, use, and disclosure of personal information we retain related to you. Subject to certain limitations, you can access a copy of the information we have about you.


Changes to this Privacy Policy

The Foundation reserves the right to modify or supplement this Privacy Notice at any time. If we make any material change to this Notice, and your contact details are in our managed donor list, we will notify you of any change that may impact you.

Please read any such notice briefing and the new Privacy Notice statement. Your continued use of the Foundation’s sites and services after we post such notice will constitute your acceptance of the new terms and their application to your interactions with the Foundation and use of its site and the information disclosed for such use, including information previously furnished by us, as if they were the initial terms. However, we will seek your consent if we want to use your personal information for purposes other than those you have agreed to previously.

A print version of the Foundation’s Privacy Notice can be requested from the Foundation Privacy Officer, Amy Wilkinson, who can be reached at 416-845-1847 or by email at [email protected].


Challenging Compliance

A challenge concerning compliance with our privacy practices as described in this notice should be made to the Foundation Privacy Officer at:

Amy Wilkinson, Privacy Officer, UHN Foundation, R. Fraser Elliott Building, 5th Floor 5S- 801, 190 Elizabeth Street, Toronto, ON M5G 2C4 or send an email to [email protected].

If you feel that the original challenge has not been addressed appropriately, you may contact, in confidence, the Foundation’s Audit Committee at:

Chair, Audit Committee, UHN Foundation, R. Fraser Elliott Building, 5th Floor 5S-801, 190 Elizabeth Street, Toronto, ON M5G 2C4; please mark the envelope Private & Confidential.

If we are unable to resolve your concerns, you can also contact the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada at 30, Victoria Street, Gatineau, Québec, K1A 1H3

Toll-free: 1-(800) 282-1376

Phone: (819) 994-5444

TTY: (819) 994-6591

This notice was reviewed and approved by UHN Foundation’s Audit Committee on January 23, 2025

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